Yusuke felt hot and cold all over, devoid of all feelings one minute and then bursting with anger and indignance the next. The two guards that followed him and Botan out of Consort Ruka's Residence were not helping.

"What the fuck do you want with me?!" Yusuke hissed, whirling around when they finally arrived at his Residence and they still showed no signs of stopping.

"As ordered by His Majesty, in the interest of maintaining a quiet environment for Concubine Urameshi to copy the Decorum , we will be guarding your Residence to ensure no one would disturb you," the guards said.

"You mean I'm under house arrest," Yusuke said flatly. The guards didn't bat an eyelid. He tried again. "Concubine Kitijima didn't receive this special treatment," he pointed out, "and His Majesty didn't specifically order anyone to guard us."

Yusuke knew, because he watched Yomi turn towards Consort Ruka after dealing out his punishment and let the world around him fall away.

"We are the Imperial Guards," the taller guard said. "Enforcing His Majesty's decree is our duty; it will be our failure if we always wait for his command before acting."

"Was that what you were thinking when you charged into Consort Ruka's celebration and surrounded me?" Yusuke asked, and the guards' expressions flickered. He scoffed and turned away. "That's what I thought. Guard out here all you want for Consort Ruka, but don't you let me catch you snooping around or coming in, or you'll be answering to me and my sword!"

Yusuke marched into his Residence and slammed the door behind him shut with a bang .

"Master Yusuke, that was the right thing to do," Botan said as he slid to the floor with his back against the door. "This is not the jurisdiction of the guards around Consort Ruka's Residence. They cannot stay long before guards of your troop are reassigned here. Just tolerate this for now and… Master Yusuke?"

"Shit, I fucked up bad, didn't I, Botan?" Yusuke asked, burying his face against his bent knees. The silky fabric that his face met only reminded him more of the extravagant celebration that he just returned from and the debacle that he made there.

Botan dropped beside him. "Master Yusuke, it wasn't your fault," she said. "It was as you suspected. Consort Ruka and Concubine Kitijima set a trap for you, starting from inviting you to the celebration, to purposely provoking you, and then finally making a scene of having the guards arrest you. All of that to ruin your reputation and to have an excuse to put you away."

"And I fell right in it."

"That's…" Botan trailed off, before she came back harder and more determined. "Master Yusuke, if you say that, then I would like to take responsibility for letting you fall right into the trap Consort Ruka and Concubine Kitijima set for you."

Yusuke scoffed, finally raising his head. "Don't be ridiculous. You're not my babysitter" - Botan gave him an amused look that him scowling - "and even if you are , you are not responsible for my actions or their consequences, which remind me." Yusuke grabbed Botan by the shoulders and shook her. "You are never ever doing that again, understand? Don't you ever try to take my punishment for me. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you because of me, and honestly, I'm not worth it." He looked at her urgently. "Promise me."

Botan looked at him for a long moment, before a soft smile at last crossed her face and she shook her head gently. "That's exactly why, Master Yusuke," she said, taking his hands from her shoulders and into her own. "Your kindness inspires loyalty, and there is so little kindness in this Palace that I would like to protect all that there is if possible. You are worth it, that's what I think," she said firmly when he opened his mouth to protest. "His Majesty would say the same."

Yusuke's face contorted at the mention of Yomi. He looked away. "Why are you mentioning Yomi? That asshole fell for Consort Ruka and Concubine Kitjima's ploy so easily, and believed them over me. I'll toss his messenger out on his ass the next time he tries to summon me."

Botan's expression was so full of painful understanding that it hurt. "Master Yusuke, do you truly think His Majesty believe them over you?"

Yusuke clenched his jaws together, before finally spitting out, "He punished me. He thought Consort Ruka and Concubine Kitijima were right and that I was wrong, what else is there to it?"

"Master Yusuke, believe me, His Majesty knew that you were set up. He didn't want to, but he had to punish you, because all the evidence - however engineered - were unfortunately stacked against you."

Yusuke laughed, bitter. "Is it supposed to make me feel better that he punished me despite knowing that I was set up ?"

"What else would you have him do ?" Botan exclaimed, and Yusuke stared. He had never seen Botan raise her voice before; she had always been sweet, helpful and a tad mischievous. Seeing her like this startled any argument out of him. "He's the Emperor, but he's not infallible, Yusuke. All the evidence were stacked against you. There was nothing he could do, Master Yusuke, not without people calling him out for favoritism. He could attest to your character - I can too, more than willing - but it can't serve as evidence in court. He had to serve justice as according to the evidences and the law even if he know it was a set up, because he cannot set a precedence for putting himself above the law. He couldn't protect you, but he told me to to watch over you before we went to the celebration - and I wanted to also, so I did."

"You shouldn't be protecting me. You call me Master Yusuke; I have a responsibility towards you ," Yusuke argued. "And what the fuck is this? Maybe he couldn't help me because the evidences were stacked against me, but that doesn't make it okay for him to have you be punished in my stead either!"

"Master Yusuke," Botan said helplessly. "I call you Master Yusuke, but do you truly think I don't see you as a friend? I'm willing to help you in anyway that I can and if it means being punished in your stead, I would have gladly done it. But I have allowances that you don't; I grew up with His Majesty, I served him for years. He couldn't have shown favoritism towards you because of your unfortunately precarious status in the Palace, but anyone would find it understandable if he shielded me with his influence, precisely because of our unique relationship and shared past.

"He knew that, I knew that, so I took the blame upon myself. He couldn't protect you directly, but he can through me. His sentence as well. I admit, copying the Decorum within a month is going to be a lot of work and not being able to leave your room is going to painful for you, but such punishment is among the lightest in the Palace for such a transgression. His Majesty truly tried to be considerate where he can, Master Yusuke, you have to believe me," she implored.

Yusuke's mouth parted. "I… I didn't know," he finally said, barely able to process the implication as his hurt and heartache were flipped on their heads. A thought occurred to him, and he looked at Botan. "Botan, are you and Yomi…?"

Yusuke trailed off, unable to finish his question, unable to explain why he would even care to ask such a question, and looks away when Botan gives him a soft understanding look.

"No, Master Yusuke," she says gently, and a knot in Yusuke's chest dissipates. "It is only thought so because I have His Majesty's implicit trust, and people of the Court finds it hard to believe that a man and a woman could be so close without delving into a relationship. His Majesty and I are truly just friends. We don't deny the assumption if only because it gives me His Majesty's protection from jealous Concubines and Consorts, and they have since learned it better to not involve me in their quarrels for His Majesty's affection."

"I see," Yusuke said, sagging back against the door as the tension that he had been carrying since this afternoon finally released from him. He jolted back up a second later and whirled in Botan's direction, eyes wide. "Oh no, Botan, I misunderstood him," he said. "I thought he didn't believe me when he was only trying to look out for me. What have I done?" Yusuke ran his hand through his hair, dislodging the ornaments as his hair fell from the hairdo in waves. "What should I do ?"

Botan moved forward and settled a hand on his shoulder. "Tell him," she said softly, meeting his eyes. "His regard for you is not one-sided. Let His Majesty know."

Yomi's regard, Botan said. Yusuke looked away.

But what if he was finding himself to increasingly want more?

This is so late and I'm so sorry for that. This chapter took way longer than I thought, so it seems like once-a-month updates can't be a thing. I can't promise when I'll update, only that I will try to update as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading and for your patience!